Recommendations - Children in the care of Lambeth Council

Recommendation

Lambeth Council should develop and publish a comprehensive action plan which details the actions that it will take in response to the issues raised throughout the Inquiry’s investigation report. The action plan should be developed and published within six months of the publication of this investigation report, and should be accompanied by timescales for completing identified actions as soon as possible.

Responses

On 27 July 2021, Lambeth Council announced an Action Plan, which focuses on:

• records management;

• ensuring completion of DBS checks (for staff and elected members);

• recruitment and vetting of foster carers;

• oversight of independent sector provision for children and young people;

• improved supervision, including a refreshed Supervision Policy;

• a re-launched Corporate Parenting Board, with Cllr. Davie in the chair and oversight of it via the Children at the Heart of Practice Board, itself chaired by the Chief Executive;

• a new approach to written protocols that clarifies the sharing of case details with the cabinet member and the process for reporting of allegations made against staff;

• engagement with the Lambeth Safeguarding Children’s Partnership on policies and procedures around sexual abuse; and

• providing assurance that allegations against named perpetrators through the redress process have been reviewed and referred to the Police and Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) where appropriate.

On 15 December 2021, Lambeth Council published its action plan in response to the Inquiry's report.

Recommendations

Lambeth Council should review the application of recruitment and vetting procedures for all current foster carers directly provided by Lambeth Council, to ensure that the procedures have been followed correctly.

In addition, Lambeth Council should seek assurances from external agencies and other local authorities, in which children in the care of Lambeth Council have been placed, that recruitment and vetting procedures have been followed correctly for all foster carers and residential children’s homes’ staff working with children.

Responses

On 27 July 2021, Lambeth Council stated that it has better systems in place to ensure staff working with children comply with safer recruitment which means their DBS, qualifications, references and employment history are fully checked. Systems are also in place to ensure full compliance with fostering standards. This means ensuring that DBS checks of foster carers, adult household members and backup support are up to date. Every foster carer has an annual review to make sure they are providing the kind of care we would want for our children. Feedback is obtained from children in the course of the review.

Lambeth Council also introduced annual follow-ups on all foster carers, including DBS checks and medical checks. The Council carried out a detailed audit of all foster carers and associated household members to ensure all DBS and medical checks on foster carers are up to date, recruited a new Carer Compliance Officer to lead on this area and is in the process of building an automated dashboard and alert system to provide accurate and timely information about the status of fostering checks.

On 15 December 2021, Lambeth Council stated that, in October 2021, it has made sure that its current staff working with children, councillors and its foster carers have appropriate and up-to-date DBS certificates, and has implemented an online DBS process that enables better monitoring of compliance in line with safer recruitment practice.

In addition, Lambeth Council stated that it aims to continue to ensure its commissioned services and placements have robust safer recruitment practices in place for staff working with children and young people. It expects this action to be completed by April 2022.